Airplane-cowling



J. M. WiLLlAMS, JR.

Feb. 3, 1920.

Patented.

NI E N TOR UNITED sra'rns PATENT OFFICE.

JCHN M. WILLIAMS. JR... OF GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT.

To all mlwmv it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN M. VILLIAMS,

J11. citizen of the l nited States, residing at Greenwich, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Airplane- Cowlings. of which the following is a 'spe-ci-- fication.

This invention relates to airplanes and has particular reference to the provision of a cowling for the cock-pit of the fuselage adapted to serve as a safeguard to the pilot. should he. in the event of a crash. be brought into forceful contact with the same. \Vith the present type of Cowling. as-used on all training planes and most other-types. when there is a crash the pilots head is invariably thrown forward by the sudden stopping of the plane, and as his body is held in the seat y means of a safety belt, his head will shoot forward and strike the -cowling in front of him. which as at present constructed, is a deck of thin sheetmetal with a padding running around the entire edge of the cockpit:

Numerous injuries. oftentimes serious, have resulted from such accidents. and in several cases death has resulted due to the inability of the pilot. after having been stunned by sudden impact with the cowling, to extricate himself from the wrecked plane which subsequently took fire.

Thepresent invention contemplates substituting for the usual rigidly constructed cowling, an elastic or yielding construction at that part of the cowling likely to be struck by the pilots body in'case he should be thrown forward.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention. and in which Figure 1 represents an embodiment of the invention. showing in sideelevation. a section of the airplanefuselage including'the cock-pit; the pilot is shown in full lines in the normal position assumed when steering, and in dotted lines. in the position following a crash.

Fig. 2. a plan view. without the pilot. and

Fig. 3. a fragmentary. vertical'section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Like. numbers represent the same parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

. In the construction shown in the attached drawing, the aluminum deck 1 of the air- AIRPLANE-COWLING.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

plane fuselage is cut away at the forward end of the cock-pit, and a padding .2 run around the new edge thereof. Another pad,- ding 3 is then run across in front of the pilot at the same point where the original cowling terminated, thus serving with padding a about the rear edge of the cock-pit, to reform the original outline of the cock-pit. The- 7 inclosed Within padding 3. the ends there of being firmly secured to the edge of the cock-pit at points 8 and 9. A small batten 10, of proper contour and preferably of wood, is secured to the under side of cover- Patented Feb. 3,1920. Application filed Ma a 1919. Serial No. 295,128.

ing 5 adjacent padding 3 and serves to maintain the, flexible covering in position so as to conform to the'shape of the original cowling.

In the event of a crash, the pilots face will strike this yielding construction and the force of the blow will be broken. If the force of the crash be sufficient to throw the pilots head entirely through padding 3. elastic cord 7 and covering he will strike padding 2 at the forward edge of covering 5 and thus will not be injured through contact with the sharp edge ofaluminum deck 1. The elastic cord 7 will have the effect of gradually retarding the pilots head. but this is onlysupplementary to the retarding effect of padding 8, as the padding itself-has a large amount of inherent elasticity Without the elastic cord 7. The wind shield 6, due to the shape of the edge thereof projecting toward the pilot. will not come in contact with the pilots face. as his head will strike in the inverted U-shaped opening formed by the wind shield and will clear both the top and sides thereof.

The deck or cowling in front of the pilots face is necessary as it serves to ward off a great deal of wind which otherwise would sweep down into the cock-pit. It also provides a; better streamline construction which allows the air to slip past with fewer eddies and less resistance. Also, if there wereno deck. in the event of a crash the pilots head would ontinue forward and come in violent contact with the control stick, withthe consequent serious result. It is also necessary thata small wind shield, such as shown. he provided, the same being made of celluloid for safety, and so constructed that the pilot may see around the sides thereof by a slight turning of the head.

It is not intended that this invention shall be confined to the specific details of construction shown nor to the specific uses described, except as pointed out in the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In an airplane fuselage, the combination of a cock-pit having a padding extending entirely around the same, a deck surrounding said cock-pit and having a portion thereof cut away at the forward end of the cock-pit, a padding covering the edge of the opening left by said cut-away portion, and a flexible covering extending from said lastmentioned padding over said opening.

2. In an airplane fuselage, the combination of a cock-pit having a padding extending entirely around the same, a deck surrounding said cock-pit and having a portion thereof cut away at the forward end of the cock-pit, a padding covering the edge of the opening left by said cut-away portion, and a flexible covering extending over said opening. I

3. In an airplane fuselage, the combination of a cock-pit, a padding extending across the forward end thereof, a deck surrounding said cock-pit and having a portion thereof cut away immediately'forward of said padding, a second padding about the edge ofthe opening left by said cut-away portion, and a flexible covering extending over said opening.

4. In an airplane fuselage, the combination of a cock-pit, a paddingextending across the forward end thereof, a deck surrounding said cock-pit and having a portion thereof cut away immediately forward of said padding, a second padding about the edge of the opening left by said cut-away within said first-mentioned padding and se cured at each side of the cock-pit.

5. In an alrplane fuselage, the combination of a cock-pit, a padding extending.

acrossthe forward end thereof, a deck surrounding said cock-pit and having a portion thereof cut away immediately forward of said padding, a second padding-about the edge of the opening left by said cut-away portion, a flexible covering extending over said opening, elastic means inclosed within said first-mentioned padding and secured at each side of the cock-pit, and means for maintaining said flexible covering in position so as to conform to the shape of said deck.

6. In an airplane fuselage, the combination of a cockpit, a padding extending across the forward end thereof, a deck surrounding said cock-pit and having a portion thereof cut away immediately forward of said padding, a second padding about the edge of the opening left by said cut-away portion, a flexible covering extending over said opening, and a windshield mounted on said covering. 7 v

7. In an airplane fuselage, the combination of a cock-pit, a padding extending across the forward end thereof, a deck surrounding said cock-pit and having a portion thereof cut away immediately forward of said padding, a second padding about the edge of the opening left by said cut-away portion, a flexible covering extending over said openlng, and means for maintaining said flexible coverlng in position so as to conform to the shape of said deck.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JOHN M. WILLIAMS, in. 

